Latest Release
- NOV 15, 2024
- 10 Songs
- Rio (Collectors Edition) · 1982
- Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) · 1993
- Duran Duran (The Wedding Album) · 1993
- Future Past · 2021
- Greatest · 1981
- Rio (Remastered) · 1982
- Rio (Collectors Edition) · 1982
- Greatest · 1985
- Seven and the Ragged Tiger (Deluxe Edition) · 1983
- Seven and the Ragged Tiger (Deluxe Edition) · 1983
Essential Albums
- After the success of their first two albums, the members of Duran Duran weren’t content to rest on their laurels—and by the 1983 holiday season, the quintet had a new full-length in stores: Seven and the Ragged Tiger. The Birmingham, England band chose to work with new collaborators (including producer Alex Sadkin, fresh off success with Grace Jones and the Thompson Twins) and decamped to studios in Australia, France, and the legendary AIR Studios outpost in Montserrat. Seven and The Ragged Tiger reflected Duran Duran’s worldly travels and sonic growth. Although the album ended up just as danceable as the band’s previous efforts, it featured glossier production values; songs boasted slicker keyboards (the sparkling “(I’m Looking For) Cracks in the Pavement”), arena-caliber guitars (the Andy Taylor riff showcase “Of Crime and Passion”), and moonshot drums from Roger Taylor (the glittering funk-R&B strut “Union of the Snake”). There was also a distinct cinematic edge throughout, led by the majestic highlight “New Moon on Monday,” which paired an explosive chorus hook with a buoyant John Taylor bassline and Nick Rhodes’ pulsating synthesizers, and the sinewy instrumental “Tiger Tiger,” distinguished by airy, jazzy saxophone from Andy Hamilton. And, fittingly for the bigger sound, vocalist Simon Le Bon’s lyrics were even more mysterious, led by memorable “The Reflex” lines such as “I sold the Renoir and the TV set” and “I’m dancing on the Valentine.” Still, Duran Duran was still always thinking ahead—and it turned out that the album-closing atmospheric mood-piece “The Seventh Stranger” foreshadowed the group’s more sophisticated future work. In the moment, however, the band supported Seven and the Ragged Tiger with the massive Sing Blue Silver Tour, which helped them land three Top 10 chart hits, including their first US No. 1 song, a Nile Rodgers remix of “The Reflex.” In the end, the LP achieved exactly what it set out to do: cement the Fab Five’s reputation as one of the world’s biggest bands.
- Less than a year after releasing their 1981 self-titled debut, Duran Duran returned with a bold, futuristic statement: 1982’s Rio. The Birmingham quintet was well-prepared going into recording, having already played several of the album’s songs live and even releasing a different version of “My Own Way” as a single in 1981. And so working once again with producer-engineer Colin Thurston, the band hunkered down at AIR Studios in London and crafted the perfect blend of rock ’n’ roll swagger and synthesizer-driven New Wave cool. The buoyant hit single “Hungry Like the Wolf” exemplified this balance. Andy Taylor’s glammy guitar riffs and Simon Le Bon’s theatrical vocals meshed perfectly with Nick Rhodes’ jaunty keyboards and the nimble rhythm section of bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor. Le Bon described romantic pursuit using elaborate metaphors and a dash of intrigue, both hallmarks of Rio’s lyrics. The synthesizer-driven title track was another optimistic revelation, between its percolating keyboards, a disco-meets-Motown bassline, and metaphorical lyrics that compared the excitement of touring America to a beautiful woman. That penchant for adventure permeated the music. Duran Duran ditched the sharp-edged disco strings found on the original take on “My Own Way” in favor of laid-back dance grooves; “New Religion” found Le Bon exploring the speak-sing cadences of the nascent hip-hop movement; and “Save a Prayer” was a pristine pop ballad with swooning keyboard lines and luxe harmonies. Rio ends with the gothic classic “The Chauffeur,” a departure from the rest of the album. The spooky song eschews guitars in favor of ghostly synthesizers, enigmatic lyrics, and even a trilling ocarina. Duran Duran never made another song that sounds like “The Chauffeur”—and they never duplicated the sound they achieved on Rio. Such singularity made the album feel that much more special and rare—a snapshot in time that also managed to capture the spirit and promise of the 1980s New Wave moment.
- When Duran Duran emerged from Birmingham, England in the early 1980s, they were linked with the short-lived New Romantic movement—a nightclub-based trend founded on outrageous fashion choices and music that modernized ’70s glam and art rock. The quintet didn’t necessarily shy away from the association: They gleefully wore frilly shirts and swashbuckling pirate gear, and referenced “some new romantic looking for the TV sound” in the lyrics of their 1981 debut single, “Planet Earth.” In reality, however, Duran Duran was focused on substance over looks, aspiring to create music that combined the sound of punk agitators Sex Pistols and disco icons Chic. This was a lofty goal, but the band’s 1981 self-titled debut album does confound expectations in the form of sleek basslines, glittery guitars, and atmospheric synth work. Working with producer-engineer Colin Thurston—whose CV included albums by David Bowie, Magazine, and The Human League—Duran Duran emphasized their individual strengths. Guitarist Andy Taylor’s bold, ripping guitar riffs propelled “Planet Earth” and “Careless Memories,” while Nick Rhodes’ keyboard-work offered multiple emotions: playful on “Sound of Thunder,” eerie on the proggy “Night Boat.” The rhythm section of bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor (no relation to each other or Andy) favored liquid grooves that added a danceable edge, especially on the glammy post-disco gem “Girls on Film.” And the poetry throughout was provided by vocalist Simon Le Bon, who dipped into his trusty writing notebook for mysterious, moody lyrics that embraced the future while being somewhat wary of the past. Although Roxy Music is an obvious influence—and the atmospheric art-school of “Tel Aviv” especially conjures the cult UK band Japan—the album felt like a strikingly modern fresh start. Upon its release, Duran Duran was a Top 10 hit in Australia and the UK, and secured the band’s future beyond the New Romantic era. Success in America was initially elusive—in fact, the album didn’t even chart—but after 1982’s Rio became a hit, Duran Duran retroactively became a hit, albeit with a slightly different tracklist that included 1983’s Beatles-esque No. 1 hit “Is There Something I Should Know?”
Artist Playlists
- These wild boys defined a decadent decade.
- The New Wave stars were masters of visual style.
- Showcasing their love of the classics and the cutting edge.
- A sexy pop blend of flashy New Wave and suave romance.
- The synth innovators and rock alchemists who inspired their pop.
Live Albums
Compilations
More To Hear
- The Duran Duran star discusses the band’s biggest hits.
- Jenn revisits Rio, the multiplatinum hit LP from Duran Duran.
- Bassist John Taylor on the band's upcoming LP ‘FUTURE PAST.’
- The planet and environment in focus.
More To See
About Duran Duran
In a career that’s spanned decades, Duran Duran have always steered pop and rock music in futuristic directions. Formed in the late ’70s by childhood friends John Taylor and Nick Rhodes, the Birmingham, England, band settled on the lineup that would make them New Wave stars in 1980 with the addition of guitarist Andy Taylor, an avowed hard-rock fan, and theatrical frontman Simon Le Bon. Duran Duran were initially lumped in with the UK’s New Romantic movement, owing to their fashion aesthetic and their shimmering 1981 debut single, “Planet Earth.” However, their 1982 breakthrough LP, Rio, established them as sonic trendsetters, as the hits “Hungry Like the Wolf” and the title track paired fresh dance-floor grooves and an optimistic lyrical outlook with inspiration from David Bowie and Roxy Music, the vibrant rhythm section of disco stars Chic, and a dash of punk bravado. After Rio’s globe-trotting videos received heavy MTV support, an entirely new universe opened up to Duran Duran: mainstream pop stardom. They earned two No. 1 singles in the U.S.—a Nile Rodgers-helmed remix of “The Reflex” that boasted a funkier sound, and the sultry James Bond theme “A View to a Kill”—and became known as a dynamic live act. The group kept moving forward amid lineup changes (most notably, guitarist and Missing Persons cofounder Warren Cuccurullo spent 15 years in the band), leading to new generations of fans discovering Duran Duran via their 1993 self-titled album and its hit power ballad “Ordinary World.” Across the decades, they have continued to collaborate with modern pop icons (Justin Timberlake, Janelle Monáe) and innovative producers (Mark Ronson, Giorgio Moroder) while reinforcing their roots; an elegant 2021 cover of David Bowie’s “Five Years” captures the original’s wistful vibe through a bittersweet modern lens.
- ORIGIN
- Birmingham, England
- FORMED
- 1978
- GENRE
- Pop